Of Coffee and Hope
by thisisanewlow
Summary: Caroline Lee spends Saturday night catching up on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. This is set after episode 84. The plot is kind of in the book, but it hasn't happened in TheLBD yet (nor do I think it will), so this was my way of coping. This is my first attempt at anything, so I hope I didn't mess anything up too much.


Caroline Lee sighed as she prepared for yet another Saturday night alone. Sure, she had plenty of "friends" to hang out with, but none of them were the only person she wanted to be with. None of them were William Darcy. That sentiment was too much – she needed a strong cup of coffee.

Unfortunately, her favorite coffee shop had just hired a new barista and while Caroline was sure the girl would get the hang of it eventually, she'd rather not chance an unlucky brew. So she decided to make her own. Sure could have her maid, Natalie, make it but she didn't want to see anyone tonight.

She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. _Ah_, she could hear it beckoning to her from across the room. She flipped on the light and pulled her favorite Free-Trade coffee from off the shelf. She got out the coffee filter, got the water and brewed the most promising cup of coffee she'd ever made herself. The smell of it was almost enough to get her mind away from him…almost. She went over to the cupboard and picked out her favorite mug: the shiny pink one with gold letters that William had given to her for Christmas two years ago.

_If only I could rewind time, to when the Bennet family was completely and utterly unknown to us. That was SUCH a happy time, _she thought.

She poured a cup of coffee and took a sip. That therapy wasn't enough – she quickly drank the whole cup, which still wasn't enough. She poured herself another and decided to catch up on Lizzie's vlog. The last she'd watched, Lizzie was at Pemberley and had met Gigi, but she'd been on Twitter. She knew Darcy was back in San Francisco and had showed Lizzie around the city. So, maybe he'd be on her vlog.

_Caroline, you're hitting an all-time low, _she thought.

But she grabbed her computer and headed toward the couch anyway.

Episode 78:

She still didn't understand why Gigi was trying to help William hook up with that _trash. _That was such an awkward video, but she was right, William was there! And he was _still_ in love with her.

She skipped episode 79 because her brother had already told her about it. She would totally tell him about the videos to hurt Lizzie, but she knew he'd just run back to Jane as soon as he realized she might actually feel something for him.

Episode 80:

Was that a brief flicker of admiration in Lizzie's eyes? _Oh no. no, no, no. That can't happen, _she thought.

_Darcy looks so good in the newsie hat, no wonder that's how Lizzie always portrayed him. _A moment of hope flooded through her as she realized that they were arguing, but it wasn't much to go on. Those two would argue even on the friendliest terms.

Episode 81:

_Haha! _Caroline laughed at Lizzie's discomfort. _Let her feel all of the awkwardness of being in a completely different social class. That should put her in her place. _But Caroline had other things to worry about, if Bing knows about the videos, how much of them has he watched?

Episode 82:

Caroline took a deep breath and instantly felt sorry for all of the jabs about Wickham she'd made to Darcy. She never knew how much of a rival he really was. To Caroline, Wickham was just the guy Lizzie luckily and inexplicably preferred to Darcy. She felt so bad for Gigi too, no wonder William acts all defensive whenever anyone asks about her.

Episode 83:

That episode hurt her stomach. _Were they flirting with each other? Ugh, she touched his shoulder. _But, it reminded her what William was like, how sweet, unselfish and funny he could be when he wanted to be.

Caroline was not much of a crier, but she got up and headed to get some tissues and another cup of coffee. The next episode might just put her over the edge.

Episode 84:

At the beginning of the video, Caroline actually felt bad for Lizzie. _Who could be happy with an outdated model of a cell phone? And she's showing it off as if she were proud of it! How embarrassing. _

Then William entered the frame. _Oh no. What is happening? Did he really just ask her out again? And she didn't even have the decency to look happy about it! He is too good for her. Ugh, what could Charlotte want? That video sounds promising. _

Caroline smiled. The tears weren't even close now. He'd have to get over her how. She laughed at how quickly he distanced himself from her.

_Finally! He sees her for what she really is- a disease. _

Caroline got out her cell phone and texted William.

"I just watched Lizzie's last video. You were right to distance yourself from her. Haha!"

She waited two minutes for a response. Normally she would have gotten one in two seconds. She decided to keep typing.

" Remember how you were surprised everyone admired her as much as they did? So you changed your mind for a brief period of time, but now I'm sure you're wondering what you were thinking."

Still no response. _Why isn't he responding?_

"I told you! She's so trashy. Her skin is so pale, her smile is gross and she really needs help with her makeup. Poor girl."

The response was instantaneous.

"You're right, for a while I was surprised at what everyone saw in her. But now, I think she's the most beautiful person I've ever met…and I've met a lot of beautiful people."

Caroline gasped. What could he mean by that? She was just trying to help him. Could he _still_ want to be with Lizzie after what he just found out about her family? He would never willingly associate with someone whose sister had released a sex tape, would he?

Caroline wasn't completely hopeless. If he wouldn't listen to her, he would at least listen to his aunt. _She _would make him see reason. He would eventually be ashamed of his feelings, time would heal him, and he would _finally_ see her as more than just his best friend's baby sister.

She opened another tab to Delta Air Lines and booked a flight to Rosings. Catherine De Bourgh would be happy to see her.


End file.
